City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994)

Very disappointing...

Such a frustrating disappointment

Perfect cast and a good story

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

A cornier version of "City slickers" original with a lot of copying including the "he's behind me isn't he " joke. Especially the dumb way the joke was carried out the second time when the two cowboys came up behind them while Mitch and company were on their wild west trek. Mitch could've thought of something better to say then "what a coincidence, we were just talking about you. " It was easy to tell the cowboys were shady characters, just by the way they were staring at Mitch during their first meeting at their country store. All Mitch could think of saying was this: after the cowboy tells Phil "I'd think twice before going back to your wife, that would be like sticking your balls in a baear trap". Then Mitch says "that would be a bad thing right?" The cowboys just stare at him uneasily. Mitch: "a joke, that was a joke". The cowboys keep staring. Mitch: "well, it looks like I'm parked in a handicap zone". Cowboys keep staring. Mitch: "gays in the military, what's your thoughts?" Cowboys keep staring not saying a word. None of Mitch's comments there were funny and the whole scene played out all anxious and uneasy. The cowboys in the first film were the bad guys so that also made it easier to figure out the same thing with the cowboys here (and the Mitch talking/ cowboys starting silently scene in the first film was funnier and I liked the way he said "rough corral"). I already knew they were into the copying thing in this movie from already seeing the first "he's behind me" joke in Mitch's house and the happy birthday phone call from Mitch's parents. The first part of the movie in New York was pretty good with our "1 year later" scene with Mitch jogging with the now adult cow Norma. I liked his comment to Norma "if it weren't for me, you would've been a hundred wallets." I wish Mitch would've also thrown in a second comment "if it weren't for me, you would've also been a hundred quarter pounders with cheese." But there's no point in me dwelling on something the writers should've put in the movie but didn't. Bruno Kirby did not return for this film due to Billy Crystal and him having fallen out, from what I read. Instead we get Glen (John Lovitz), Mitch's autistic brother who showed up against Mitch and his wife's liking. It seems Glen had a busy couple of hours at Mitch's house before Mitch arrived home from work. By the time Mitch gets home from work, we hear how during that afternoon Glen has already come over, asked Mitch's wife to make him a sandwich, made long distance calls, acted a scene from "The godfather", watched a Spanish soap opera, and tried to milk Norma. Of course the latter leading to a rather tasteless joke when Glen shares his "milking " experience with Mitch. Now about Jack Palace's role as Duke, Curly's twin. We get a couple scenes earlier in the film revolving around Mitch thinking he buried Curly (from first film) alive when Mitch thinks he's seen him following him. Obviously, the sight of "Curly" following Mitch turns out to be Duke. I like how Mitch asks Phil (Daneil Stern) if Curly was a narcoleptic. And I liked the whole plot of Mitch finding the treasure map in Curly's hat, Mitch and Phil's actions in New York that happen right after the map finding. I found funny when Phil and Mitch are walking down the street excited about the map, Phil: "4 million dollars Mitch! 4 million dollars!!" Mitch: "a little louder Phil, some of the crack dealers didn't hear you". I also enjoyed a lot of the out west treasure hunting scenes with Mitch, Phil, Glen, and Duke. Some of the comments and repitours between them all during the hunt were really amusing. We get a funny reappearance from Ira and Barry Shallowitz, and liked the comments between them and Duke, Barry: "nice to meet you Duke, we helped bury your brother" Duke: "oh? Maybe someday I can do the same for you". I also found funny the other trail boss Clay Stone from the first film showing up and seeing Duke saying "great buckets of bull****, it's Curly!" I remember his hilarious comment from the first film "I'm as happy as a puppy with two p*****!"There is a good twist near the end, and the very last scene leaves a big opening for another "City slickers " sequel, but we never got one. The last scene with the cowboys in the cave, one of them was very obviously a different guy from the guy that was tagging along with the other cowboy in the other cowboy scenes. I don't know what the deal was with that.

It's one year later and Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) is approaching his 40th birthday. He is content as the manager of the NYC radio station and happy living in the country with his family. His friend Phil Berquist (Daniel Stern) working under him is so depressed that he's considering a return to Arlene. His irresponsible brother Glen (Jon Lovitz) has come to town. While with his wife Barbara (Patricia Wettig), he discovers a treasure map in Curly's hat. He finds a story of a train robbery with missing gold worth about a million dollars. The three men go to Vegas and set off for a few days on their treasure hunt. Mitch has been haunted by Curly's presence which turns out to be Curly's twin Duke Washburn (Jack Palance).This is so desperate to repeat the original that Palance returns as his own twin. I don't blame the movie for Bruno Kirby going missing. Who knows what the dispute was. Replacing him with Jon Lovitz feels forced which only adds to the manufactured nature of the story. I don't know if there was a time constraint but it seems to be a great opportunity for Mitch to take his wife on the journey together. If City Slicker is about a mid-life crisis, City Slicker 2 could be about some sort of family crisis. At least, that would have been moving the franchise forward. This movie has lost the chemistry and therefore lost the comedy.

Following up on the tremendous success of City Slickers in 1991, City Slickers II was released in 1994. It made about a third of the money that CS I did.The film starts with a Mitch (Billy Crystal) dreaming about Curly (Jack Palance) coming out of his grave; Mitch wakes up a wreck that Curly was buried alive. He shakes himself out of it. It's his 40th birthday, and we can see that his life has changed and he's much happier as he jogs in the morning with Norman, the steer he saved.It's a rocky day at the station. He has gotten Phil (Daniel Stern) a job there, but it's not working out and he's afraid he will have to fire him. Phil is down because of his divorce, so Mitch invites him to the house. On the train home, Mitch could swear that he sees Curly.When he gets home, he sees that his lower brother Glen (Jon Lovitz) is there. Looking forward to a romantic evening with his wife (Patricia Wettig), Mitch ultimately sends Glen off with Phil. Later, he goes through the things he still has of Curly's and finds a treasure map.Before you know it, Mitch, Glen, and Phil are out looking for the treasure, eventually getting help from Curly's twin brother Duke. Like Mitch's own brother Glen, Duke was the black sheep of his family.Funny film with Lovitz and Crystal in fine form, and another good performance by Palance. Lots of good one-liners and amusing premises, along with some pathos. Thanks to the actors, the film retained the warmth of the first movie with likable characters.Enjoyable, if not as good as the first.

My Take: Not as good as the first, but it's a decent follow-up. The first "City Slickers" was a thoughtful comedy. It focuses on a human story and laughs. It wasn't surprising to find the laughs come full-circle in this sequel. I found this sequel even more hilarious, but let's not say it's better, because there's hardly any difference. This sequel reunites only two stars from the original. Billy Crystal and Daniel Stern, reprising the roles of Mitch and Phil. Mitch is now 40 years-old, and bored with hi life, until he finds a dirty old treasure inside the hat of their dead partner Curly. Of course it's worth millions. of course they'll go out and find it (and than do the "I found the gold!" dance from "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre"), some the plot elements are familiar, but the laughs more than make up for it. Jack Palance, doing the role of the brother of his character in the original. And Jon Lovitz portrays the role of Mitch's overreacting brother. So far those elements quite work. Rating: *** out of 5.